Clasp



Aug. 1-4, 1945. L. OLIVER '2,382,658

CLASP Filed Nov. 29, 1945 Patented Aug. 14, 1945 necticut Web and Buckle Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 29, 1943, Serial No. 512,125

5 claims. (Cim-25o) This invention relates to clasps for garments, particularly aclasp for use on mens Suspenders and similar garment supports, and has for an-ob# ject to provide an improved and simplified clasp which will eiectively grip the garment and ldoes not require the use of springs outside of theresiliency of the parts themselves.

It is also an object to provide a clasp of the type in which there is a stationary and a movable jaw and` an operating lever for shifting the movable jaw to clamping position, with improved means for mounting the movablejaw.

With the foregoing and other objects in View I have devised the construction illustrated'in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this speciiication. It is', however, to be understoodthe invention is not limited to the `specific details of construction and arrangement shown but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. v1 is a front view of the'clasp in' the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side vview with the clasp in position;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the clasp in the open position;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of thev elements separated;

Fig, 6 is a side View of the movable jaw;

Fig. 7 is a plan view thereof; and

Fig. 8 is an end view of this jaw.

This clasp comprises three members, a stationary jaw or body member I which also is a rear jaw, a front or movable jaw II and an operating lever I2. All three of these parts may be stamped and formed from sheet metal of a suitable gauge.

the open The jaws I0 and Il are provided with garment clamping means i3 and I4 at their lower or free tween them. These means I3 and I4 may be plain orcorrugated or provided with teeth as is found desirable. At the upper end the stationary jaw or body member is provided with a loop I having a slot I6 through which may be threaded the supporting web, such as the suspender web, and this loop is connected with the body of the member I 0 by a connecting -wall I'I which is preferably offset; and extends forwardly from the body of the member I0. This wall is provided with a slot or opening I8 for a, purpose presently to be describedf On the opposite side edges of the member I0 are forwardly extending ears I9 pierced at to form a pivotal mounting for the operating lever I2, this lever being provided wit pintle lugs 2l on the Opposite sides' of ar rearwardly extending flange 22, these lugs seating in' jaw I0 is provided adjacent its Vopposite edges with forwardly extending pivot lugs .26 located below the offset wall I1 and between this wall and the pivot ears I9, preferably immediately above the ears I9. The outer ends of these pivot lugs 26 are preferably somewhat rounded and their inner edges are inclined downwardly and inwardly, as indicated at 2l, to form a clearance space be' tween the lugs and the ears I9. When the movable jaw is mounted in position, the tongue 24 is seated in the opening I8 in the wall Il and the hinge lugs 25 are seated on the pivot-lugs 26.` The hinge lugs 25 are preferably transversely curved or concavo-convex to provide curved depressions or recesses to seat on and receive the free ends of the pivot lugs 26. The tongue 24 and these lugs 25 and 26 form the means for securing the two jaws together. y

The jaw Il is also made .of resilient material and the opening I8,rtongue 24 and lugs 25 and 26 are so arranged relatively to each other that they normally support the jaw I I in the open position of Figs, 3 and 4. Therefore, when this jaw is forced toward the stationary or rear jaw I0 the resilient metal is placed under stress and it tends to shift the jaw II forwardly tothe open position. The flange 22 of the lever I2 engages the front of the jaw II and is so arranged that when the lever is swung downwardly to the position of Figs.v

1 and 2 this flange 22 by a camming action on` the jaw forces it rearwardly to the position of Figs. 1 and 2 and clamps the garment between the jaws. The flange 22 is so arranged with respect to the pivot elements 2I and the body of the lever I2 that its free edge is below the pivot,

as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, when the lever is? raised and the clasp is open, and will be held inv this position by the resilient action of the mov-v able ;aw. When the lever I2 is swung downwardly to close the clasp, the free edge of the flange 22 movesl past the horizontal plane of the axis of the pivot 2l to a position above this pivot, as shown in Fig. 2, and therefore the resilient action of the movable jaw retains the lever in the closed lugs to roll on the free ends of the pivot lugs 26.

The transverse curvature of the lugs gives' them added strength and rigidity, and this curvature may be carried across the body of the jaw for this purpose. transversely curved in a similar manner to give it added strength and rigidity. Still further, the jaw may be offset as indicated at 28, and provided with ilanges 29 at its opposite side edges to add still further strength and` stiffness to the jaw and to improve its appearance.

It will be seen from the above that the clasp is of very simple construction and comprises a minimum number of parts. An important novel feature is the pivot lugs 26 and their novel shape and arrangement cooperating Vwith the rounded hinge lugs 25 on the movable jaw to cooperate with the tongue to secure the jaws together and eiectively retain them in proper relative position, and also to permit proper free movement of the movable jaw. ,l

Having thus Set forth the nature of my invention what I claim is:

l. A clasp comprising al body memberforming a rear jaw and including 4 forwardly projecting ears at its side edges, an integral web loop at the upper end connected withthe jaw portion by an offset wall provided with an opening therein, and forwardly projectingpivotlugs at the oppositev edges of themember betweenthe ears and said wall integral with the body; a resilient front jaw member forwardlyof the first member provided with atongue extending into said opening and provided with laterallyprojecting hinge lugs seated on said pivot lugs, said tongue and lugs being so arranged as to form a resilient Support for-the front jaw tending to shift it forwardly away from the rear jaw, and an operating lever forwardly of the front jawpivotally mounted in said ears and provided with a rearwardly I extending ilange engaging on top ofthe iront jaw member below the `supports therefor adapted `on swinging of the lever toward this jawto shift it toward the rear jawv to clamp a. garment between the jaws and to stressthe forward jaw 'so that it tends to move forwardly.

2. A clasp comprising-.a stationary jaw and a movable jaw connected adjacent their upper ends and provided with means at -their lower ends to clamp a garment, said stationaryl'aw having a forwardly projecting lwall at its upper endv provided with an opening, ears extending forwardly from said stationaryjaw and integral therewith, forwardly projecting pivot lugs between the ears and said wall integralwith said stationary jaw, said movable jaw being; provided witha tongue at its upper end seated in said opening and hinge lugs seated on said pivot lugs, said tongue and lugs forming the means forconnecting'the jaws, the movable jaw being-of resilient material Aand the tongue and lugs being so arranged as to place it under stress when inA the `closed position so that it tends to move away-from the hs tationary jaw,

Also the tongue 24 may be and an operating lever pivoted to said ears and provided with a ilange engaging the movable jaw to force it toward the stationary jaw to clamp a garment between them.

3. A clasp comprising a stationary jaw and a movable jaw connected adjacent their upper ends and provided with means at their lower ends to clamp a garment, said stationary jaw having an opening adjacent its upper end and provided with integral forwardly projecting pivot lugs below said opening, said movable jaw being seated on said pivot lugs and provided with a tongue at its upper end seated in said opening, said tongue and lugs forming the means for connecting the jaws and the movable jaw being resilient and the tongue and lugs being so arranged as to place it under stress when in the closed position so that it tends to move away from the stationary jaw, and an operating lever forwardly of said jaws and pivoted to the stationary jaw and provided with a ange engaging the movable jaw to force it toward the stationary jaw as theiree end of the lever is swung toward the Jaws, the free edge of the flange being arranged to move past the pivot for the lever in this action so that the resiliency ofthe movable jaw retains the lever in the closed position.

4. A clasp comprising a stationary jaw and a movable jaw connected adjacent their upper ends and provided with means at their lower ends to clamp a garment. said stationary jaw having an opening adjacent its upper endand integral forwardly projecting pivot lugs below said opening, said movable jaw being of resilient material and provided with a tongue at its upper end seated in said opening andalso provided with transversely curved hinge lugs seated at' their concave sides on said pivotlugs, said tongue and lugs forming the means for securing the jaws together and being so arranged as to place the movable jaw under stress when in: theclosed position so that the resiliency of the jaw tends to shift it away from the stationary jaw, andan operating lever pivoted at its upper end to the stationary jaw andprovided with a rearwardly extending ilange engaging the front of the movable jaw to force it toward the stationaryl jaw to clamp a garment between them.

5. A clasp comprising a stationary jaw and a movable jaw connected adjacent their upper ends and provided with means at their lower ends to clamp a garmenta web loop .at the upper end of the stationary jaw, said latter jaw being provided with a forwardly projecting wall below said-loop provided with an opening, forwardly projecting pivot ligs on and integral with'said stationary jaw below said wail, said movable jaw being of resilient material and, provided with a tongue seated in said opening and also provided with laterally extending transversely curved hinge lugs seated at their concave sides on said pivot` lugs, said tongue and lugsfforming the means for` connecting the jaws and so arranged as to place the, movable jaw under stress when in the closed position so thatthe resiliency of the movahle'jaw'tends to shift it away from the stationary jaw, forwardly projecting ears on said stationary jaw below and adjacent said pivot lugs, and a, lever pivoted in said ears and provided with a vrearwardly extendingangeengaging the movable `jaw to shift it toward the stationary fJ'awto clamps. garment between them. f 1 

